Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Criciuma Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Criciuma

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,247 in Phuket versus $679 in Criciuma.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,276 in Phuket versus $1,003 in Criciuma.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,306 in Phuket versus $1,328 in Criciuma.

Living in Phuket is roughly 84% more expensive than Criciuma, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 7% lower, Criciuma 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.59 ฿147

$4.84 R$24.10

-5.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.83 ฿1,501

$21.99 R$110

112.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.70 ฿279

$5.28 R$26.28

64.77%

Cappuccino

$2.92 ฿93.7

$1.25 R$6.22

133.60%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 ฿21.92

$0.85 R$4.25

-20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿12.70

$0.57 R$2.85

-29.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.51 ฿80.4

$1.64 R$8.17

53.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿122

$1.51 R$7.52

151.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 ฿69.3

$0.86 R$4.29

151.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 ฿60.3

$1.29 R$6.41

45.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 ฿69.2

$0.98 R$4.86

120.41%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿71.2

$1.77 R$8.82

25.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.57 ฿627

$7.97 R$39.71

145.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.80 ฿122

$3.21 R$15.96

18.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.41 ฿430

$6.84 R$34.06

96.05%

Apples (1kg)

$3.26 ฿104

$1.86 R$9.26

75.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿51.7

$0.90 R$4.46

78.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 ฿74.0

$0.85 R$4.21

171.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 ฿66.0

$1.25 R$6.25

64.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.61 ฿51.5

$0.98 R$4.89

64.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.44 ฿46.26

$1.02 R$5.08

41.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.01

$0.70 R$3.48

47.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.39

$0.63 R$3.12

-23.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.50 ฿144

$2.54 R$12.67

77.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.18 ฿615

$4.91 R$24.45

290.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿58.4

$1.03 R$5.13

76.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 ฿86.2

$1.25 R$6.24

115.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.38 ฿44.16

$0.87 R$4.34

58.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.76 ฿377

$32.00 R$159

-63.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿99.6

$0.42 R$2.08

640.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.18

$1.02 R$5.06

-1.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.74 ฿441

$2.13 R$10.60

545.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 ฿41.61

$1.09 R$5.43

19.27%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$27.4K ฿877.0K

$19.9K R$99.1K

37.52%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$33.0K ฿1.1M

$25.6K R$127.3K

29.19%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$125 ฿4,004

$58.4 R$291

113.76%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$13.74 ฿440

$14.10 R$70.2

-2.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.61 ฿597

$20.81 R$104

-10.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.6 ฿1,941

$24.92 R$124

142.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.15 ฿550

$21.63 R$108

-20.71%

Cinema Ticket

$9.01 ฿289

$7.84 R$39.05

14.92%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$698 ฿22.4K

$126 R$628

453.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K ฿516.5K

$1,500 R$7,469

974.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.2 ฿1,898

$24.63 R$123

140.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.86 ฿1,118

$30.13 R$150

15.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 ฿3,662

$68.0 R$339

67.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.8 ฿2,751

$31.62 R$157

171.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿19.8K

$221 R$1,101

179.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.0K

$198 R$985

120.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,075 ฿66.5K

$296 R$1,475

600.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿48.4K

$247 R$1,228

511.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,764 ฿120.7K

$1,189 R$5,921

216.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,694 ฿86.4K

$641 R$3,195

319.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$528 ฿16.9K

$320 R$1,595

64.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

8.4

-36.55%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Phuket: April 13, 2026

Last update for Criciuma: April 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $221 in Criciuma. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 65% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $47 in Phuket vs $22 in Criciuma for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $150 per month, with Criciuma cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Phuket vs Criciuma: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Criciuma is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 84% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Phuket pays 65% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $619 in Phuket versus $221 in Criciuma. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Criciuma runs roughly 172% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $698 in Phuket versus $126 in Criciuma. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $679 in Criciuma versus $1,247 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Criciuma but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Criciuma the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Criciuma is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Criciuma are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Criciuma gentler on the wallet – expenses run 84% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.